Vision with Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Abstract

Visual Science at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NUST) includes activities in visual psychophysics and electrophysiology, clinical tests of vision, and low vision. In recent years the Tambartun National Resource Centre for the Visually Impaired, in cooperation with NUST, has been encouraging applied projects aimed at improving the quality of life of people with low vision. One such project, headed by Per Fosse, is devoted to the study of the visual capacity of elderly with age-related macular degeneration. Systematic assessments are made of acuity, contrast sensitivity (CS), colour vision, visual field, dark adaptation, and optimal illumination levels for reading and orientation. We report on some preliminary results for ten clients, which is about half the number of anticipated participants in the project. The differences in performance of the individuals that we have seen so far are large, particularly concerning their lighting requirements. Some clients preferred a relatively restricted optimum range of illumination, while others required very high levels. All clients profited from these extensive tests in orientation in real-life settings and in reading. Different CS tests and acuity measures have been compared in the course of the study, and some of these data are also presented.